Squid Game is more than just a showtime hit for Netflix- it’s also the internet’s favorite show! Released on Sept. 17th, the nine-episode Korean thriller has become Netflix’s biggest “non-English language show in the world,” said Netflix’s CEO Ted Sarandos. (nbcnews.com) But why? What made this show outrank Bridgerton and Stranger Things? According to the Los Angeles Times, Squid Game received 1.6 billion views in its first month on Netflix! Almost double the amount of viewing minutes on other shows like You and Sex Education. But what made this show so popular among non-Koreans?
1. storyline
Compared to The Hunger Games, this series revolves around a contest where 456 players, all of whom are in extensive financial debt, risk their lives to play lethal childhood games for the chance to win a billion-dollar prize. Not only does this show have a captivating and engrossing plotline, the acting skills are phenomenal with the likes of Lee Jung-jae, Park Hae-Soo, and Jung Ho-yeon.
2. “Meme ability”
How many memes have you seen about Squid Game? I’m assuming lots. Especially on Instagram and TikTok, the games the characters have played have been replicated dozens of times by social media influencers. Also, the honeycomb challenge has even been made into a filter on TikTok.
3. non-english language shows are becoming more approachable
Netflix had smash hit non-English language shows before Squid Game. In fact, some of my favorite Netflix shows are originally in foreign languages, including Dark (German) and Money Heist (Spanish). With the access of these shows from across the world and various translating tools, the “foreign-language” genre is ever growing among younger watchers.
If you haven’t seen this show, I highly recommend it. It’s Netflix’s most watched show for a reason.